Case for the reception of matches or similar articles.



No. 674,46L' Patented May 2|, 190i.

- E. A. GERKEN. I

'CASE FOR THE RECEPTION 0F MATCHES 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES.

(Applicatiozi filed Nov. 26, 1900.) (No Model.)

77277165366 Break, W f 2% i bu Qua m 9 @er/cen/ 25/ n2; Jim

Tn: uonms PETERS co. PHOTO-LIT)!!! WASHINGYON n c NITED STATES ATENT FFIQ.

ERNST AUGUST GERKEN, OF MOLENBEEK-SAINT-JEAN, NEAR BRUSSELS,

BELGIUM.

CASE FOR THE RECEPTION OF MATCHES R SIMILAR ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,461, dated May 21, 1901.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ERNST AUGUST GERKEN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing and having my postal address at 54 Rue de Bonne, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, near Brussels, Belgium, have invented a certain new anduseful Improved Case for the Reception of Matches or Similar Articles, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a case for containing wax vestas and other matches with short bodies and similar articles. The said case is constructed so as to form several pockets side by side and is provided with inserted arrangements intended to give the case the rigidity required in order to enable it to be provided with a friction or igniting surface and at the same time to form divisions between the pockets in order to prevent the matches from lying crosswise in the pockets when there are only a few remaining therein. The said inserted devices are connected with the actual case by means of an ordinary metal fastener arranged in such a manner as to form at the same time a fastening device for the closing-flap of the case.

In the annexed drawings an example of the said case is represented with two pockets. It is obvious that a larger number of pockets can be provided whether the case be broader than the one represented in the annexed drawings or not.

Figure 1 is an external view of the case closed. Fig. 2 is a view of the same open. Figs. 3 to 5 represent various forms of the inserted device.

The actual case consists of a piece a a, a a of paper, thin cardboard, artificial leather, or thelike folded into fourparts,the fold a being fastened to lateral flaps of the fold 0. so as to form the pocket or pockets. The fold a is cut away at the top in such a manner as to present as manyinward curves a as there are to be pockets. The folds a and a form the cover of the case, similar to that of a pocket-book.

Into the inside of the pocket formed by the folds a. and a the device I) is introduced. At the point at which the pockets are to be separated the said device is made thicker or provided with some strengthening arrangement provided with a strengthening-rib 1).

Application filedNovember26, 1900. Serial No. 37,791. (No model.)

b. In the form represented in Fig. 3 the said inserted device consists of a strip of cardboard b, with a tongue I), which is folded over into the position indicated by dotted lines. In the form shown in Fig. 4 the said device consists of a strip of white iron or other metal In Fig. 5 a strip of cardboard is strengthened by folding it approximately in the center and then refolding a narrow strip of each fold and fastening the said strips to one side of the cardboard. It is obvious that any other suitable method of strengthening can be employed-for instance, that of fastening a narrow strip across the strip b; but this is more expensive than the methods described above.

The inserted arrangement and the folds a a of the case are fastened together by means of one or more fasteners c 0, preferably with fiat heads. The point and body of the fastener are clenched on the folder while its head is on the outside of the fold a and serves to fasten the closing-flap, which is pushed underneath the said head, so that when the case is closed its appearance is similar to that of a pocket-book or a purse with a metal fastening. The fastener also serves to make the partition between the pockets more complete. If necessary, the inserted arrangement may be narrower and may only reach up to the fastener, in which case the latter does not pass through it. A friction-surface d is fastened to the fold a The inserted part must in any case be sufficiently broad to make rigid that part of the case to which the friction surface is fastened. The pockets may contain matches of the same or of different kinds-for instance, matches of different thickness, as shown in Fig. 2. The inside of the cover a of the case may be provided with small strips or the like 6, fastened to the said cover by their external borders only, so as to form a frame or holder into which small mirrors, advertisement-cards, pictures, photographs, and the like can be placed. Y

In the above-described manner a case can be produced of very handsome appearance, cheap, and very handy and convenient, which can be carried in the waistcoat-pocket or a small coat-pocket with ease and will not spoil the lining thereof, the sandpaper or other friction surface and the points of the fastener being covered by the flap of the case.

What I claim is- 1. A case for the reception of matches and similar articles comprising in combination a piece of suitable material folded into four parts a a, a a onepart a being fastened to the part a to form a pocket or pockets, and provided with inward curves according to the number of pockets, the parts a, and a forming the cover and fastening flaps respectively, a friction-surface attached to one of said parts, means for strengthening that part to which the friction-surface is attached, one or more metal fastenersat the point or points of separation of thepoc-kets, and means for securing the closing-flap, substantially as described.

2. A case for the reception of matches and similar articles comprising in combination a piece of suitable material folded into four parts a a a a one part a being fastened to the part a to form a pocket or pockets, and provided with inward curves according to the number of pockets, the parts a and a forming the cover and fastening flaps respectively, a friction-surface attached to one of said parts, means for strengthening that part of the case to which the friction-surface is attached, one or more metal fasteners passing through the flap a and the part a at the point or points of separation of the pockets, and means for securing the closing-flap, substantially as. described.

3. A case for the reception of matches and similar articles comprising in combination a piece of suitable material folded into four parts a a (ti a one part a being fastened to the part a to form a pocket or pockets, and provided with inward curves according to the number of pockets, the parts a, and a forming the cover and fastening flaps respectively, a f riction-surface attached to one of said parts, means for strengthening that part of the case to which the friction-surface is attached, consisting of a strip 1) having a tongue I) and one or more metal fasteners having flat heads and passing through the flap (1 and the part a at the point or points of separation of the pockets, said heads serving to secure the closingfiap, substantially as described.

4. A case for the reception of matches and similar articles comprising in combination a piece of suitable material folded into four parts a a (1 66 one part a being fastened to the part a to form a pocket or pockets, and provided with inward curves according to the number of pockets, the parts ct and a, forming the cover and fastening flaps respectively, a friction-surface attached to part a means for strengthening said parts a consisting of a strip 19 having a tongue I), one or more metal fasteners having flat heads and passing through the flap of and the part a at the point or points of separation of the pockets, said heads serving to secure the closing-flap, and strips e around the inside of the cover a, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

ERNST AUGUST GERKEN.

W itnesses:

A. GRAETZ, GREGORY PHELAN. 

